milestones

in life there are so many milestones that we reach .... starting at very young ages - first word, first steps, first tooth in and first tooth out, first school days ... and the list, it's a long one, yes?

today, was a day for a big milestone.

i mean b-i-g BIG.


this fella right here?

he turned 10 today. and when i went to his room this morning, this was the conversation:

me: happy birthday, bubbah-looie!
him: thanks, mom. i'm ten.
me: yep, 10. crazy, huh? so what's it all mean?
him: (looking me right in the eye, with that smirk right there, in that picture) double digits! that's what it means!



hello?! double digits. who? not my child.

not the kid i changed diapers,
and rocked all night,
and listened to his breathing,
and marveled at his eyelashes,
and wondered if the colic would end,
and squished his toes,
and snuggled in bed with,
and scooped up to blow rasberries into his belly,
and chased after to tickle,
and laughed until my sides hurt at his two year old antics,
and cried as he ran away from my arms for the first time at 11 months,
and wondered how my heart would ever be mine again,
and held in my arms to do absolutely everything so he could see it at his level,
and cried as he hopped onto the bus for the first time,
and waved to me,
and smiled from ear to ear when he returned that day,

and ... and. {gulp}


10? t.e.n.


i've had hard times with birthdays in my past - when he turned 6, for example. he was no longer the wee one. no longer a little boy - a big boy now. in a real, big boy school. he was no longer a baby. when kendall turned 7 i was a mess - my baby? seven?! 7 and 8 for cam were okay for me, i think because 6 was so rough. then 9 was emotional with him. 10?
ten is aging. 10 is wings flapping. 10 is little man sprouting. 10 is when i start to become less of an impact. less of a consultant on things unless i ask to be. 10 is wings lifting him to the tweens. and that's something i am not fully prepared to be - a tween mom.

so today, i will be the mom of a ten year old.


a double digit kid.

but you know, he's such a great kid. he's such a doll to have as my son. he is someone i want to be around, someone i adore having in my life. someone with whom i am honored to be part of his life, and to allow me to share his life with. he is challenging, yes, he's supposed to be, he's a kid. and at times, i wonder who will "win" in the end - me, of course, yes? ;) but i know i am supposed to be challenged as a mom at times. i am so proud of him, and so in love with him, too. i am so excited for the moments and years, and lifetime ahead for us. and the canvas that is his life right now? it has so much possibility. that is what makes being a mom so very, very cool. the possibility of the things. the opportunity that lies ahead of you, and it's all available to make it your story with your children.

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he was quite excited for his tenth birthday, and we wanted to celebrate the kickoff to double digits in the kind of style that would be a memory maker for him for years to come. i love birthdays and always have. i think they should be the kind of thing that you get to celebrate for as long, and as loud as you want. afterall, those around you are celebrating the fact that you were born to this world. something that should be revered as miraculous. :)

we told him he could have a week long celebration starting with last sunday. he received a coolpix digital camera for christmas so he's got some photos of the events as well, and I will surely download those too, as soon as he lets me download them!

the week started off with a sleepover sunday night with a buddy (sadly three others he had invited were all sick, so it was a wee bit smaller than he had expected - perhaps a redo on that one is in order??) then on monday we went to the outdoor ice rink with these two:

afterwards, he had a power skating clinic, and then as an impromptu request was invited to go to a sleepover at one of the player's house. the next morning they all skated (again!) and played all day long at that player's house.

the next day was new year's eve so we all played in the freshly fallen snow, and watched some new movies received from santa because we knew that we would be celebrating the new year in style that night at the neighbor's house - getting to bed at 2:00 AM(egads!)

and then new year's day, after we woke at 10:00 AM (yippee!) he had a family party at home with all the cousins, and family .... so good food, yummy cake, and smiles were all around. he got some more loot, of course.among the loot, he was thrilled beyond compare to receive this from his boy cousins, and auntie leesa: meet Dusty, the hermit crab. lovely, right? just what any household should have ....
that same night, New Year's day, he went to the Bruins game with his dad - but before that would happen, he would have some good laughing with daddy on the couch watching the NHL 2nd annual event on Jan 1 - the outdoor game (played at Wrigley Field in Chicago) - along with his extra special new sweatshirt from mimi with a giant 10 on it.

and finally, as the week hit the climax today, his actual birthday, he requested the coveted trip to Dave & Buster's to add some points to the card that he has been saving and inching towards a "big prize". (have i mentioned i loathe that place? blech. icky, and boo. what's a mom to do, the kid wanted to go, it was his 10th birthday! .... thank goodness sean was with me!)

we hit a great restaurant for lunch after D&B's, and brought chocolate chip cookies with milk for a post-practice treat in honor of his birthday tonight. his teammates (and coaches) loved it!

he's anxious for the actual "friend's" brithday party in February he's planning .... a rock climbing location! woot!

so now .... now, he is peacefully sleeping (not too surprising on that one, yes?!) awaiting his baseball practice and hockey game tomorrow.

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alas, ringing in the new year, and a new age for the first born here all in one week - a task that will surely increase with anticipation as the years move onward, in all liklihood, don't you think? ;)

the milestone of aging is one in which we should take hints from 10 year olds:

"mom, this birthday should be a big, huge blowout. it should be the best one yet!"

Happy Birthday, bubba looie.

i love you more today than yesterday .... and around the world and back.

three times.

xoxo mommy